Letter: Gun control numbers don't add up

In response to Mrs. (Edna) Henderson’s letter (Letter: Abortion, gun control not accurate comparison, Feb. 7, amarillo.com), I agree there is no comparison.

However, your numbers are off. I offer the following information after just 20 minutes work on the Internet from viable sources, as opposed to emotional sources.

The Alan Guttmacher Institute website reported there were a little more than 1,212,400 abortions reported annually from 2009 to 2011. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported almost the same.

From the FDA’s Adverse Events Reporting System — Leading Causes of Death 2000 (2010 report out soon): “The leading causes of death in 2000 were tobacco (435,000 deaths; 18.1 percent of total U.S. deaths), poor diet and physical inactivity (400,000 deaths; 16.6 percent) and alcohol consumption (85,000 deaths; 3.5 percent). Other causes of death were microbial agents (75,000), toxic agents (55,000), motor vehicle crashes (43,000), incidents involving firearms (29,000), sexual behaviors (20,000) and illicit use of drugs (17,000).”

Here is my favorite one from the same folks — 16,651 deaths from FDA-approved drugs.

From the FBI crime report for 2012 we have the following: In 2011, an estimated 1,203,564 violent crimes occurred nationwide. Of that number, there were 14,612 murders, of which 8,583 were committed with firearms.

From the transportation folks, we have 32,367 motor vehicle deaths in 2011.

Guns still come in last, and I stand by the opinion I stated in a previous letter: “Stupid people, mentally ill people and evil people” kill people. There are more than 524,000 concealed handgun license holders in Texas, and I’m pretty sure that they didn’t commit those murders.

Take a long look at many of the websites, and I think we would all agree that more effective time and money could be spent on these and other issues as opposed to more gun control.

All we have to do is enforce the firearms laws that exist.

Let’s get off of the firearms bandwagon and do something useful, like eliminating fraud and waste in our government.

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you just aren't paying attention cwjjohn. How does a background check on a private sale take guns from law abiding citizens? If they are law abiding citizens, they should be able to buy the gun; however, if they are not they won't be able to make the purchase. Hmm... a bill aimed at taking guns from criminals, not law abiding citizens.

jmaverik – should have known that you would be the first to have something to say about it. Possession of 30 round magazines would make you an instant criminal. Having more than 7 rounds in a ten round magazine makes you a criminal (police in Chicago have 15 round magazines and there were no exceptions made when that ignorant law was passed). These are just a couple of examples of Gun Control that some of our nimrod leaders are either trying to pass or already have and you say I don’t pay attention.

So according to this letter we should just stop worrying about guns because other things cause death too?

Seems to me we should be looking for ways to prevent deaths of any kind. Thanks Mr. Johnson for the ol' bait and switch. You're so bright you've even convinced yourself that talking about something other than what we're talking about has something to do with what we're talking about. Genius!!!

With the current Gun laws in a private individual sale the seller would have to either have a great deal of confidence that the buyer would not use the gun to break the law or just be plain stupid. If a gun is tied to a crime the serial number can by tied to the last buyer from a licensed dealer. Most people wouldn't want their name on a Loose cannon out there. Because it will lead right back to them.

Some of these comments make me want to PUKE!
COWARD............Really? Well, I'd rather be YOUR version of a coward, then be blinded by my allegiance to a (corrupt) political party..........either one!
Are you blind? Deaf? Ignorant? Did you not see that we MURDER over 1.2 MILLION babies a year? And all you can think to worry about is GUN CONTROL! May God forgive you!
As long as this country's priorities and values are in the toilet, there will be no prevention of death, by any means! Until, and unless, we turn from this perverse lifestyle that we enjoy so much, and start taking PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY for our actions, there is no HOPE.
So, you can sit there piously, vomiting out your angry insults on those who disagree with you, but IT WON'T CHANGE A THING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please stop puking on your pulpit. There about a million other issues that are more dangerous than gun control and birth control. One is a wounded animal, another is a deranged mind coming out of hiding. Just take it easy. No one can see you in here. Nobody is going to hurt you. You are a real big dude, and we all admire you, and wish we could be just like you.

I appreciate your slowing down a bit. Does 37 years qualify me. I only wanted to pass along to you and some of the others that most of us dont need an AR-15, an oozi, or a magazine of 30 rounds to feel safe and secure. Most of us aren't worring a lot about a home invasions. And, most are not afraid that our government is going to crash into our house and get our guns. Criminals worry about all three, and they have a reason. With probable cause and a warrant law enforcement will invade your home and take you and your weapons to the pokey, along with anything else that is illegal, or in that warrant. That is why ordinary citizens dont have to worry, unless they are also involved in crime. Then they arent so ordinary. All this hype about gun control makes good honest people sound like they are paranoid, and paranoia and guns just dont mix.

So, Salty, you took the same oath as other soldiers, law enforcement officers, and politicians, to defend and protect the Constitution and our country against all enemies, foreign and domestic, correct?
How do you justify, and enlighten me as to where in the Constitution, that it restricts certain weapons and stipulates how much ammo that a law abiding citizen can have in their possession? Tell me where it defines whether that protection is for hunting, home protection, or defense of our country from a tyrannical government?
You may think people are unjustifiably paranoid, they may think you're hopelessly naive, but who's to say who's correct?

We all realize that the measures won't stop every crime. But you idiot rednecks don't want any legislation that might help. Just another reason that the Panhandle of Texas will always be known as a backward ignorant area of the country.

CW, what have you done? YOU must be a convicted felon, or someone actively breaking the law to be so afraid of THEM. You can find anything on the internet or Fox News. Normal people just dont fall for that garbage. Yeah, I'm a French Model, Bon Jour.

Yeah, Salty didn't answer my question, either, just started slinging insults like he/she does when faced with a question that it can't answer.
Talk about someone who's paranoid, and overboard....you just mention gun, and here comes the tirade. Makes me want to call BS on the 37 year claim to defending our country and Constitution.

What is the harm in a background check in a private sale? Can someone please explain what all you gun lovers oppose in background checks? You say you want to keep guns out of the hands of criminals, but then you oppose background checks which indicates that you couldn't care less if a criminal or mentally unstable person can legally obtain a firearm. Which is it?